Feeling Buzzed

Many people who are buzzed, including myself, often feel angry. I say often, but I don’t actually get angry every single time, but I do get angry often enough.

One thing that made me feel better about this was the scientific finding that people don’t like it when their space “bubble” is invaded upon because they sense a threat. Of course, there’s the exception from my friend, Liam, who claims that there’s a country where there is zero body space even between women and men in casual conversation. Of course, this needs to be verified by appropriate “research”. 🙂

Just kidding, I do think that this feeling is universal in humans.

Also, universal is the notion that someone threatening one’s life pisses them off royally.

Hence, getting angry when one gets buzzed is normal, and I think it’s healthy, too.

On the other hand, one can get really tired of being angry all the time. There is a way out!

I use several techniques in order to reduce the amount of mental energy that I waste getting angry with motorists.

There are just too many wonderful things in the world to think about, and too many things to do to be angry all the time. Also, I have the notion of transferring emotional energy. That is, one can often pick up on the emotional energy of other people. Buzzing is a way a motorist tranfers their anger to cyclists. But, to a point, a cyclist can decline the energy transfer offer. Also, I noticed those who claim to be the most rational and the most unfeeling are often actually the most emotional and subject to emotional swings.

To keep one’s emotions one’s own, the first thing I learned was that if you wait till you get buzzed, it’s too late.

One way to avoid bad vibes is not to notice each vehicles passing distance. If they are passing really close, you’ll know. If they are going to hit you, you can’t avoid it. It’s not possible. If they don’t hit you then they did you no physical harm so you should be grateful to be alive.

So there’s little to be gained by judging the motorists.

Next, while riding, I often adopt a neutral facial expression. Also, while meditating as per previous posts, I find that when I get buzzed, it’s not so bad.

I find that much of the mental pain of getting buzzed is due to mental grasping to one’s body and this world. Realizing that one is going to die one day helps. Also, realizing that dying while cycling is the best way to die is helpful, too.

Also, I beam a silent wish of good will to each motorist. A simple “Be happy” for each vehicle that passes me no matter how near or far they come.

If someone does pass you, it’s best to know that the thing that the motorists is looking for is some kind of reaction from you. While it’s not possible to stop our normal emotional processes and displays especially when one first starts, just thinking about what the motorist wants helps me calm down.

I highly, highly recommend against confronting the driver. It usually leads to no good.

If the motorist is breaking the law, feel free to call it in. There are some verified mental drivers out there, and we need to create a legal track record of who they are especially their vehicles and plate numbers. I hope that they reform themselves on their own, but that’s not likely.

Personally, I tend to like the idea of forgiveness. As one Amish family said to the perpetrator when one of their own was mowed down by a motorist, “God has brought our families together for a reason.”

I’m not Amish, and I can’t bring myself to believe that it all happens for a good reason, but I try.